Opening on Board of Health in Berlin

Longtime selectman David Marble has decided to step down from the board two years before the official end of his term. He submitted his letter of resignation last week, effective May 11, when a a two-year vacancy for selectman will appear on the town election ballot. "Frankly, I need to focus on my business and my family and the town needs some new blood in there," said Marble, who has held the position for 14 years. In other election news, library trustees Evelyn Dueck and Heather Simpson have said they will not seek reelection this spring, and Board of Health member Catherine Livingstone has yet to indicate her plans. Otherwise, all of the town's incumbent elected officials have taken out nomination papers. Residents wanting to run for office in May must turn in the forms at Town Hall tomorrow.

- Julia Rappaport

MORE BOOKS WITH LARGE PRINT - The Bolton Public Library has recently expanded its collection of large print books, after a patron commented that its offerings were a little thin, according to the library website. With the financial support of the Crispen family, officials at the library hope to continue to augment the collection. Large print books are not only helpful for the visually impaired but can also be useful to people who want to read at a distance while exercising on a treadmill. - Matt Gunderson

STORM CLEANUP - The ice storm in December has taken a heavy toll on local budgets. The Fire Department and local highway workers spent $50,000 for the initial cleanup, and the town's Light Department has spent roughly $300,000 in clearing and repairing downed telephone poles, said Fire Chief Joseph Flanagan. Fortunately, the federal government is expected to provide significant disaster-relief aid to the town, covering a large portion of the expenses related to the ice storm, he said. - Matt Gunderson

BETHANY HILL FUND-RAISER - The Bethany Hill School is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a fund-raiser Thursday at the Atrium at Regis College in Weston. Special guests include Jack Connors Jr., a trustee of Partners Healthcare and former CEO of Hill, Holiday, Connors, Cosmopulous Inc. A cocktail party celebration will be hosted by Joyce Kulhawik, former arts and entertainment anchor for WBZ-TV. Entertainment will be provided by the Harvard Opportunes, Harvard's oldest coed a cappella group. The school, at 89 Bethany Road, is a residential facility operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and provides education opportunities for low-income students facing a range of challenges. The event will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $125. - Tom Coakley

TOWN POSITIONS BEING CUT - The town has announced plans to eliminate 29 full-time positions as officials work to close an anticipated $2.6 million shortfall in next fiscal year's budget, which starts July 1. Town Manager Julian Suso said the deficit is a result of diminished tax revenues and state aid this year and next. Suso said the positions include some vacancies that will not be filled, after being deemed less essential to the town's day-to-day operations. He could not say how many people would have to be laid off. "It's unavoidable that it is going to have an impact," Suso said of the cutbacks. "We're not going to be able to respond as rapidly on nonemergency items." Neither police nor fire services will be affected by the layoffs, he said. - Tanya Perez Brennan

SUMMER REC JOBS - The town's Division of Recreation is accepting applications for summer employment. Applications, due by Friday, are available at the division's office in Town Hall, 78 Main St., or online at www.townofhudson.org. For more information, call 978-568-9642. - Julia Rappaport

EXPLORING BAUHAUS - Karen Koehler, curator of the "Bauhaus Modern" exhibition at Smith College's Museum of Art and associate professor of architecture history at Hampshire College, will give a lecture at the Codman Estate Carriage House, 36 Codman Road, on April 16 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The lecture, part of Historic New England's 90th anniversary celebration, will explore the history of Bauhaus, one of the most influential design schools of the 20th century, which is known for making its teachers and students rethink the traditional rules of the arts. The event costs $25, or $15 for Historic New England members. Registration is required. For more information, visit www.historicnewengland.org or call 781-259-8098. - John M. Guilfoil

YOUTH SERVICE NOMINATIONS - Nomination forms are now available for the mayor's annual Youth Service Awards, which recognize city youths, age 21 or under, who give of their time, talents, or resources in service to others. Anyone may nominate a candidate. The forms may be obtained at the mayor's office in City Hall; Marlborough Public Library, 35 West Main St.; and Room 105 of the Walker Building, 255 Main St.; or by calling 508-460-3758. The deadline for submissions is April 14. A panel of judges will review all applications for Mayor Nancy Stevens, and the winners will be notified by mail. An awards ceremony will be held in June. - Julia Rappaport

POLICE AGREE TO WAGE FREEZE - Local police officers have agreed to a wage freeze for next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Under a three-year contract signed by selectmen on Tuesday, the officers will receive a retroactive 2 percent pay increase for this fiscal year, no increase next year, and a 3 percent bump in 2011. Police also agreed to lessen the amount new officers will receive if they cash in unused sick days when they retire, from the 50 percent of the value of unused days that current employees receive to 25 percent. - Calvin Hennick

AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEADLINE - The application period for affordable rental units at Avalon Northborough, a complex of apartments and town houses at routes 9 and 20 that is nearing completion, is slated to end Tuesday. The development has one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments available under the income-eligible program, with monthly rents ranging from $871 to $1,185. To qualify, applicants must meet annual income limits, which range from $43,050 for a one-person household to $71,350 for a six-person household, according to a posting on the town's website. The property is expected to be ready for occupancy in May. Applications are available by calling Avalon Northborough at 877-282-6246, and are due by Tuesday. They may be returned by fax, e-mail, or mail, or in person. The units are to be awarded through a lottery, with preference given to residents and employees of the town. More information is available at www.town.northborough.ma.us.

- Julia Rappaport

HELP WITH STORM DEBRIS - The state Department of Conservation and Recreation will take charge of clearing debris left by December's ice storm, according to Michael Hale, Shrewsbury's assistant town manager. Crews will collect large branches and limbs left at the curb, starting in May. Residents are responsible for disposing of small branches and limbs, using a contractor certified to handle debris potentially carrying Asian long-horned beetles. The process will start earlier in Worcester and Holden, said Hale, who described those communities as harder hit by the beetle infestation. "It's the best way to handle the situation, given the beetle problem," said Hale. At the end of the cleanup process, Shrewsbury will be expected to pay the state for 25 percent of the collection cost, with the rest covered by the federal government. Under the plan, Shrewsbury will still be responsible for clearing and properly disposing of debris from its parks, schools grounds, and cemetery. For more information, call the town manager at 508-841-8508.

- James O'Brien

PITCH FOR MORE FROM FILMMAKERS - Selectmen last week told representatives from Columbia Pictures they want more money than the $10,000 the studio has offered as compensation for street closures related to a movie potentially being filmed in town in May. The studio wants to film part of an untitled Adam Sandler project at the Pilgrim Church. Town Administrator Jean Kitchen said she doesn't yet know how much selectmen will request from the studio, but that the board will meet with representatives again in the coming weeks. - Calvin Hennick Stow

PROGRAM FOR SPECIAL ATHLETES - More than 90 local children from the Nashoba Regional School District's three towns - Bolton, Lancaster and Stow - have signed up this winter to participate in Nashoba Unified Sports, a new sports program operated by the Special Olympics of Massachusetts. The local youths are paired with age mates to play basketball on Sunday afternoons. Organizers recently announced that Nashoba Unified Sports is in need of donations to continue as a nonfee-based program.

- Matt Gunderson

CONSERVATION EFFORTS LAUDED - The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee took time out from its meeting Tuesday to recognize facilities coordinator Kevin Rossley and the high school's maintenance staff for their work in promoting energy conservation that is expected to earn the school ISO certification. The Independent System Operator certification, based on the district's reduced electricity usage, will earn the school $9,000 per year from its energy provider, NSTAR. - John M. Guilfoil

CALL FOR VIDEOTAPE VOLUNTEERS - The Wayland Free Public Library is seeking volunteers to videotape its programs and events for broadcast on WayCAM, the local cable television station. Training is available for anyone interested in getting involved. Potential volunteers may contact Ann Knight at 508-358-2311. - John M. Guilfoil

SOCIAL SECURITY ADVICE - Peter G. Martin, a financial adviser with Compass Income Planning, will hold a free seminar on Social Security planning Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Tatnuck Bookseller, in the shopping center at Route 9 and Lyman Street. The event will cover such topics as when to start taking Social Security benefits and how the benefits are taxed. To reserve a seat, call 888-460-6901 or e-mail pmartin@investorscapital.com. - Calvin Hennick

ARTIST OF THE MONTH - Boston-based artist Barney Levitt is Dover Town Library's next Artist of the Month. Opening Wednesday at the library, "Spring Awakening: Contemporary Realism with a Twist" offers examples of Levitt's oil paintings, which are executed in the style and tradition of the Dutch masters, according to Amelia Slawsby, a member of the Friends of the Dover Library. The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Dover Library. Works on display are available for sale, and 10 percent of the proceeds go to the library. - Anna Fiorentino

DRIVING CHARGE DISMISSED - Former town manager Anthony Troiano had a charge of driving with a suspended license dismissed last week in Framingham District Court. Troiano was on paid administrative leave from his town position when he was stopped and charged by local police on Sept. 22, less than a week after he was found guilty of vehicular homicide. After the verdict, a Falmouth District Court judge placed him on two years' probation and suspended his license for 15 years. Troiano said he was still waiting for official notification by the Registry of Motor Vehicles about his suspension when he was pulled over. "I was completely taken by surprise," he said of the traffic stop. "If I had known I was in jeopardy, I would have never driven." His conviction stemmed from a May 2007 accident in which an East Falmouth woman, who was driving another car, was killed and Troiano suffered extensive injuries. He returned to work after a recovery period that lasted several months, and continued to serve as town manager through the trial. Two days after the Sept. 17 verdict, selectmen placed him on leave without announcing the reason for their decision, and Troiano formally resigned on Oct. 2. In January, selectmen released town documents linking his departure with a co-worker's complaint that Troiano had used a town-owned laptop to visit a pornographic website while at home. - Calvin Hennick

BOOSTERS TO HOST CRAFT SHOW - The Natick High School Boosters Club will sponsor its third annual craft show on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the West Street school. Admission is $2, children under 12 free. Lunch will be available. The fair will include handcrafts, jewelry, pottery, antiques, beauty products, and candles. - Tom Coakley

FARM POND BEACH LOTTERY - The town will hold a lottery next month for nonresidents interested in obtaining a pass to Farm Pond's beach this summer. Starting Wednesday, those interested should send their name, address, and phone number inside a legal-size envelope to Farm Pond Lottery, c/o Selectmen's Office, 19 Washington St., Sherborn 01770. Names chosen through the lottery will be posted May 6 at www.sherbornma.org. - Anna Fiorentino